I was watching Today Tonight on telly yesterday, and one of the issues they highlighted really caught my attention. And it’s something I’d like your input on as well.
Image Credit: destitute_films
There’s been a lot of talk about retail assistants at clothes shops wearing floor stock whilst working, and shops selling those already-worn clothes as new clothes on the racks. Today Tonight went undercover and discovered popular clothes shops like Kookai, Alannah Hill, high-end brand Scanlan and Theodore, etc had sales assistants taking their pick of outfit from the retail shelves and rack to wear for their workday. The girls would come in to work in their own clothes, but they were caught on camera when they took off their clothes, rummaged the retail shelves for a piece they like, and then put them on. The sales assistants at Alannah Hill and Scanlan and Theodore were caught wearing $400 and $600 dresses meant for sale.
The people behind these brands replied to Today Tonight that they give very good staff discounts, but there were some accounts where the retail girls were given the green light to wear the latest arrivals of clothes.
There were also complaints from customers that the so-called new clothes they purchased came with sweat stains. Now these could, of course, be from sweaty customers, but you can see where I’m going.
The “new” clothes that you just bought, might not be brand-new after all, but a second-hand piece.
I have never heard of such a thing, and I was mortified when I learned that this practice has been around for quite some time and is widely spreading. I didn’t realise that the clothes I paid for might actually be second-hand. Sales assistants wearing clothes from the store to be used as a selling tool is fine with me, as long as they do not sell it back on the racks. At the very least, dry-clean them before selling them. I’m definitely not keen on forking out good money for something someone else has worn for 8 hours without wash.
You can read more about this in the Vogue forum, which was quite a hot topic.
What do you think? Are you as grossed out about this as I am? If there are any of you out there who works in retail shops, what’s your take on this? Do the shops wash the clothes the retail assistants wear before putting them on the rack again? If you could give us your side of the story, that would be great.
Thirty-something. Gemini. Happily married. Loves shopping. Has an unhealthy adoration for bags and chocolate. Uses sunscreen religiously. Hates baked beans with a vengeance. Thinks that the weekdays should be a weekend long, vice versa. Optimistic. Narcissistic. Not the average Jane.
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{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Yes, we knew about Alannah Hill girls coming into work with their normal clothes and choose between the racks for new clothes because we seen that with our own eyes before !!!
That is why I usually demand for a new piece straight from the packaging instead of the piece hanging outside when I buy my clothing.
ewwwww now i feel so grossed! i have never thought of that too. but again, i have never bought any real exp clothes before, so i guess the SA won’t be interested in those cheap/mass production clothes? hehehe
Ewwww!!! That’s soo gross! If a company wants their associates to represent the brand on the sales floors then fine, they should be using samples….. I love designer clothes but I can’t afford them. MACY*S is as high end as I get at the moment. I hope they aren’t doing this are TARGET!
it never came across my mind, but i am usually very picky and ask for new ones that’s packed, but even so, I now feel a bit… worried, as they cud have worn it and repack them!
sigh. how to buy clothings summore?
Which is why unless the item is on heavy sales where what you see is what you get, I always ask for a new item. Less chance that its been worn though its not to say that its never worn. Again, clothes on the racks would have been tried by multiple customers so they too aren’t “new” in the true sense of the word.
Personally, I feel it’s better for shops to wear uniform. Yeah I always ask for the ones still in plastic but plue might be right, they could repackage it after all. *shudders*
Oh, I always insist on getting new ones from the store room. However, when I was in Country Rd recently to get some work shirts, I picked a few straight from the shelves: The girls never wear work shirts
Actually, I saw a sale assistant putting back on the rack clothes she tried on. My jaw fell on the floor. Now if I buy ‘new’ clothes… I wash them as soon as I get home!
that’s disgusting! for one, if the sales girls are happily wearing the clothes before you buy them, can you still justify paying the premium prices at some of these outlets for something USED? geez, if these girls can wear designer clothes everyday by working at a clothing store, what on earth am i doing slogging for hard-earned money to buy them?
I always ask for new ones. Unless I really love the piece, I won’t settle for off the rack pieces.
This just makes me happier I’m an odd size… Calling something new that’s been worn by the sales people is wrong. If they want to sell it for a discount price, that’s one thing, but they should warn their customers that the item they are buying might not be as clean as they might think.
I always thought that the salesgirls had to buy the clothes first before they wore them! Well now I know… not impressed at all!
I saw this on Today Tonight too and it scares me! So despicable! I can’t believe it. They shouldn’t let this go on. I too always thought they either had to buy them or were given those as samples from the store and they get to keep them! Not use and back on rack for the rest of us! Sigh….
I just want to say I work for a small boutique in Perth and we don’t have staff wearing, we have to buy all our clothes but are not compulsory to wear clothes from the shop, so my point is not all retail shop is like that, maybe just the big stores, I don’t know!